Android 17

Android 17 (Japanese: 人造人間17号, Hepburn: Jinzōningen Jū Nana Gō, lit. "Artificial Human #17") is a fictional character in the Dragon Ball manga series created by Akira Toriyama. Android 17 makes his debut in chapter #349 The Androids Awake! (目覚めた17号、18号, Mezameta Jūnanagō, Jūhachigō), first published in Weekly Shōnen Jump on November 12, 1991.

He and his sister, Android 18 were forcibly turned into cyborgs by Dr. Gero to kill series protagonist Goku. The present-timeline version of the character has little interest in doing so, only pursuing it as a game. The alternate timeline version is activated after Goku's death, murdering the other characters and having a twenty year reign of terror on Earth until being killed by Future Trunks.

Appearances

In Dragon Ball

Android #17 is activated by Dr. Gero after Gero fails to terminate Goku. #18 is activated a short time after, and the group of androids are discovered by the heroes, Dr. Gero ordering #17 and #18 to terminate them while Android #17 remains passive until killing Gero. After surviving a full power attack from Trunks, the androids activate #16 and begin a quest to find Goku out of pure entertainment, being confronted by Vegeta who begins a duel with #18. #17 is content with allowing the pair to combat each other but warns against the other heroes joining in as he would get involved, doing so after Trunks attacks #18 once she breaks Vegeta's arm, #17 easily defeating Piccolo and Tenshinhan. Kuririn confronts Android #17 over his intent to kill Goku, trying to talk him out of it and failing. Continuing their search, the androids arrive at Goku's home, finding no one there and then journeying to Kame House, where they find several of Goku's friends, Piccolo stepping up to combat them. #17 agrees to the battle and they fight an even match until Cell arrives, able to find the group thanks to the outpouring of power on Piccolo's part. #17 is confused to see the bio android, Piccolo revealing Cell's needing to absorb him and #18 to achieve his perfect form. #17 and Piccolo find themselves overwhelmed by Cell, #16 stepping in and proving to be a match against Cell, though insisting that #17 and #18 leave as the pair decline. Cell sneaks up behind #17, being seen by Tenshinhan from the sky who warns #17 moments before he is absorbed and triggers Cell's transforming into his second form.^[1] #17 dies when Cell self-destructs in a failed attempt to destroy the Earth, being resurrected with the Dragon Balls after Cell's defeat along with all of his other victims and having his bomb removed by a wish from Kuririn.^[2] Years later, #17 is killed a second time when Majin Boo destroys the Earth, being revived along with all other good people on Earth and donating his energy to Goku's Genki-dama to destroy Boo.

In the alternate timeline, #17 and #18 are designed with the intention of killing Goku, who dies before they are released, and are portrayed as ruthless murders who slaughter Earth's heroes and have a twenty year reign over Earth. For a time, Gohan and Trunks remain the only ones who can combat the pair in battle, though Gohan is killed by #17, and after this, #17 and #18 are able to defeat Trunks with ease. Once he returns from the past, Trunks confronts the androids and easily defeats the pair, first terminating #18 and doing the same to #17.

In Dragon Ball Super

Goku and Gohan agree on approaching Android 17 for participation in the Tournament of Power,^[3] and Android 18 reveals him to be working at a wildlife reserve,^[4] Goku seeking out Dende to locate Android 17^[5] and being declined by the latter initially^[6] until the two defeat poachers together and 17 reverses his prior decision.^[7] After being picked up by Kuririn and 18,^[8] 17 travels to the tournament, choosing to fight alone.^[9]

In other media

In the anime-only sequel, Dragon Ball GT, Dr. Gero and Dr. Myuu create a copy of Android 17 by the name of Hell Fighter 17, who meets up with Android 17 and brainwashes him. Android 17 attacks Trunks,^[10] confronting Android 18 with a proposed merge and using the same telepathic ability to try brainwashing her into complying,^[11] until Kuririn brings her back to her senses, causing Android 17 to fatally injure him. Android 18 attacks Android 17, though he overwhelms her as she blocks an attack intended for her daughter Marron.^[12] Android 17 departs to meet his copy and the two fuse to form Super 17, defeating the heroes and under orders from Dr. Myuu, kills Dr. Gero again. Super 17 gives Goku trouble during their ensuring fight as he is able to absorb all of his attacks.^[13] After Android 18 arrives, seeking revenge for Kuririn's murder, Android 17's psyche is able to take control of the fused form, killing Dr. Myuu and revealing to Goku and Android 18 that Super 17 is not able to cannot move and absorb energy at the same time. Goku then kills Super 17 using the Super Dragon Fist as Super 17 is unable to absorb the attack.^[14] Android 17 is later revived with the Dragon Balls.^[15]

Android 17 appears in multiple Dragon Ball Z games. In the 2005 game Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi, Android #17 becomes Super 17 and is confronted by Cell, Super 17 showing an interest in killing Goku^[16] before being defeated. In the 2011 game Dragon Ball Z: Ultimate Tenkaichi, Androids 17 and 18 fight the player and lose their Dragon Balls and radar after being defeated. In the 2015 game Dragon Ball Xenoverse, Android 17 is empowered by Towa as part of her plan to erase Trunks from existence, the player causing him to flee. Thanks to this change, Cell is able to absorb 17 and 18 without Trunks interfering. In the 2016 game Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2, Android 17 charges Cell on after the bio android defeats Piccolo and 16, in turn being knocked out by a hit from Cell that sends him flying into Android 18, the unconscious duo being absorbed simultaneously by Cell.^[17] When the player intervenes in Android #17's fight with Piccolo, Android #17 is found to have been empowered similarly to Cell, and Trunks warns that he must be stripped of the empowerment before Cell arrives.^[18] In an alternate ending, Androids 17 and 18 are prevented from killing Gohan by Trunks distorting the timeline and joining his mentor in facing the pair, leading to the androids' deaths.

Android #17 appears in the spin-off manga Dragon Ball SD, being spat out by Cell.

Creation and conception

Androids #17 and 18 were created by Akira Toriyama after his editor at the time, Kazuhiko Torishima, expressed distaste with Androids #19 and #20 shortly after their debut. Torishima complained about the new youthful duo once they were incorporated into the story, resulting in the creation of Cell.^[19][20] Android #17's brief appearance during the Boo arc was originally Lunch, a character not otherwise seen during the second half of the manga.^[21] Toriyama revealed Android #17's real name as Lapis in 2014.^[22]

When introduced Android 17 has shoulder length black hair that is parted in the middle, which he retains throughout Dragon Ball Z. He has a black short-sleeved shirt with a white long sleeved undershirt, an orange bandana, blue jeans, green socks and blue shoes. In Dragon Ball GT, he is shown to retain this appearance but also have acquired a tan jacket. In Dragon Ball Super, Android 17's hairstyle becomes identical to Android 18's save for the parted side being the reverse of hers. His outfit now consists of a white and green shirt with blue jeans, black shoes and a tanned belt. He also wears an orange armband with the word "Ranger" written on it.

Voice actors

Chuck Huber is Android 17's most well known English voice actor.

Shigeru Nakahara voices Android 17 in all Japanese media.

In the English Funimation dub, Android 17 is voiced by Chuck Huber. Huber had previously voiced Garlic Jr. during the filler arc based around the character, though thought of Android 17 as his biggest role since "nobody liked Garlic Jr. as much as they liked Android 17."^[23] Huber considered the role his easiest and a "voice actor vacation",^[24] as under the direction of Christopher Sabat he did not have to put on a voice and was advised to be calmer in his dialect.^[25] Huber personally found the character to be a "giant jerk" though liked Android #17 for the characteristic.^[24]

Abilities

Thanks to his conversion into a cyborg, Android #17 possesses superhuman strength, speed, durability, stamina, and reflexes.

Similarly to many other characters in Dragon Ball, Android #17 can fly with the use Bukū-jutsu (舞空術, lit. "Air Dance Technique"). Android #17 wields the Super Electric Strike (超電圧爆裂斬, Chō Denatsu Bakuretsuzan), which involves throwing out his hands to release two arcing electric energy beams after charging them,^[26] Power Blitz (パワーブリッツ, Pawā Burittsu), where Android #17 fires an energy wave from the palm of his hand, and Full Power Energy Ball (フルパワーエネルギーボール, Furu Pawā Enerugī Bōru), #17 firing a single energy sphere that inflicts more damage than a normal one. Melee moves include Freedom Kick, where he kicks an opponent multiple times before stomping on them.

Android #17 is introduced as one of the strongest characters at the time, easily defeating Piccolo and Tenshinhan. After Piccolo receives an increase in power, Android #17 is evenly-matched with him, and #17 is outclassed by Cell after he absorbs thousands of humans.

Reception

Android 17 has been met with positive reception. In the 2004 Dragon Ball Forever poll, Android 17 ranked 18th place for most popular character. Android 17 came in 17th place in Complex.com's list "A Ranking of All the Characters on 'Dragon Ball Z', Pearce citing Android 17's disliking of his cybernetics as making him more interesting.^[27] Duncan Scott said Android 17 was his favorite of the androids in the series.^[28] The fight between Android 17 and Piccolo has been cited as one of the greatest fights in Dragon Ball Z, ranking as the 6th best by Uproxx.com.^[29]

See also

• List of Dragon Ball characters
• T-1000

References